Overview

This page is structured to make the information about any one method on the site easy to find.

For Minor Methods, enough information is provided to "get you going" as far as a Plain Course. For the more popular methods we have provided information that will help with getting to performance standard. And we have generally not provided enough information for you to achieve Mastery, because the blend of memory and execution techniques to achieve Mastery is your personal preference. (See Quality for an explanation).

There are many areas that are unexplored and hence the related methods have yet to be documented. Indeed, the methods are those you would ring to gather experience and skills.

Whatever selection of methods you tackle, either individually or as a band, do lay down bedrock experience with Plain Bob Minor; 1,000 courses is not too many.

There are many technical ways of categorising belringing methods, Complib has 7 Sections and 40 sub-sections. This site stays with the change ringing "lowlands" of regular, Plain Bob based, single hunt methods, with an occasional excursion into ringing Principles such as Stedman, Original and Duffield. We have added a further categorisation into Cardinal, Essential, and Stepping Stone; if in doubt, concentrate on the Cardinal methods.

The main focus is on Minor Methods and Major Methods with the hope of encouraging and enabling people to use the Method Progressions to acquire the skills and experience to go beyond simple Plain Methods into the harder areas of Plain Methods, Treble Bob based methods, and Principles.

Also, some basic information is given with a view to ringing the easier Royal and Maximus Methods.

The following notes are offered as an introduction to method structures for anyone who is unsure of the differences amongst the method categories. This is a practical guide, not a mathematically complete analysis.

Method Stages

Odd numbers versus even numbers

Mainly Minor and Major
The vast majority of double handed ringing is done on even numbers of bells, and this site concentrates mainly on 6 and 8 bells. We make passing reference to 10 and 12, and no reference to 4 bells, nor any reference to 14 and beyond.

Doubles and Triples
Ringing on odd numbers of bells has specific charms and challenges. The most immediate challenge is that one ringer has to ring the method with one bell and cover with the other bell.

The second immediate challenge is the general lack of symmetry within the method structure, rarely do 2 bells make places simultaneously. Whilst our omission of information on Plain Bob and Grandsire might just be forgiven, the classical odd-bell principle, Stedman, cannot and should not be overlooked. However, Stedman is such a challenge that we have included Erin as a stepping stone towards Stedman.

You will see from the Bedrock page that Plain Hunting and Plain Bob (Minor) are fundamental to success on handbells (on even numbers). On odd numbers of bells, Plain Hunting on 3 becomes key. We have documented this key separately at Ringing the sixes.

Get on top of Ringing the Sixes and Erin and Stedman will surely follow.

Method Classifications

Hunter or Principle

The first distinction amongst methods is between methods with a hunt bell, and methods with no hunt bell.

If there is no hunt bell, all of the bells perform the same work, and these methods are classified as a Principle.

Plain or Treble Dodging

If there is a hunt bell, then the methods are further classified according to the work of the hunt bell. On this site, the hunt bell is always the treble bell. The hunt bell may follow a Plain Hunting path, or it may follow a Treble Bob Hunting path. Methods where the treble rings Plain Hunting are known as Plain Methods, methods where the treble rings Treble Bob Hunting are known as Treble Dodging Methods.

Treble Bob, Delight or Surprise

Treble Dodging Methods are further sub-divided according to the internal structure of the method at the points where the treble moves between dodging sections (Known as Cross Sections). Pure Treble Bob Methods have no internal places at any of the cross sections.
Delight Methods have a mixture of some cross sections without internal places, and some with internal places.
Surprise Methods have internal places at every cross-section.

Little

A further sub-classification may be applied to methods with a hunt bell, both Plain and Treble Dodging, where the work of hunt bell reaches a reflection point before reaching the furthest possible place; these are known as "Little" methods.

Lists of Methods

Methods are categorised as follows:

• "Cardinals" form the Bedrock of method ringing.
• "Essential" form part of the development ladder documented as Method Progressions
• "Stepping Stones" also form part of the development ladder documented as Method Progressions but would only be rung in that context, not as a methods in their own right.
• "Extras" are documented either for completeness or for the sheer enjoyment of ringing.